


Cracked Skull

by FreezingFics



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Angst, Brainwashed Ryuji, Death, Haha that's a fun tag to put on something, M/M, Secret Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-17 12:44:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13659240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreezingFics/pseuds/FreezingFics
Summary: It's been a long day of Mementos missions, and everyone is too tired to really continue. Except for Joker and Skull. So, they set out to do the last target.





	Cracked Skull

“Ughh, Joker, can we go home yet?” Ann, or Panther now, complained from the back of the car, or Mona whatever he was right now. She leaned back in the leather seats and toyed with her pink gloves, having nothing better to do in the small slots of time between Shadows in Mementos, either that or talk, which even she felt too tired to do now.

Joker turned into a stop that went down, slowly hitting the brake and stepping out wordlessly. The girl sighed and moved out with him, along with Ryuji, Yusuke, and Makoto. Seems like there was no break, not until they found a rest stop. Mona noisily transformed back into his normal form, somehow not attracting any more Shadows, and joined them in the lazy strides down the stairs.

All except for Skull, who kept in the long strides with his leader, not looking tired in the slightest. In fact, he made joking banter with Joker as they descended down the stairs. The rest of the thieves could only glare in annoyance or jealousy of their energy. They seemed to just run off of each other, completely fine with the hours of Shadows and heavy weight of Mementos if they were together. On the rare cases the artificial blonde couldn’t come along with them through the tunnels, trips would end after a target or two, not like this time where they had knocked out at least five by now. 

Thankfully, the dreary place had mercy on them, a resting area looking about as comfortable as a soft, king sized bed to the Phantom Thieves. Panther used the last of her energy to run to the chairs, dragging Queen by the hand with her. Fox only slightly heightened his speed to get there, taking a place at the first chair to his right, shifting to get his tail in an unhindered spot. Mona jumped up to the other side of the blonde girl, eyes closing with a relieved sigh.

“What’re you guys doin’? We ain’t got no time to rest, there’s only one target left!” Skull’s voice made them all groan, all four pairs of eyes following him as he walked past all the seats and to the next flight of stairs, Joker close behind.

The cat-like creature shook his head, glaring at the boy, “No way, I am not transforming again until we leave!”

“And I’m not moving for at least five minutes.” Panther added, leaning back in the seat to further prove her point. 

Fox pushed his mask up, grey eyes looking like steel with how glassed over they were from exhaustion, “It would be best if we rest a bit, Skull. How you don’t feel tired, I can’t even comprehend.” He shook his head in the flowery way, a way that was simple but still that dramatic Yusuke, even under his Fox attitude. 

Joker looked to Queen, silently pleading her to continue on with them. Unfortunately, she sighed and leaned against Panther, wordlessly saying she was going to stay.

“I can feel someone just beneath us, probably on the next floor. You two can go check it out if you want, it’s probably pretty weak.” Mona sighed, curling up and closing his eyes, clearly done with the conversation.

The blonde boy looked to his leader, surprised but not denying that possibility. It had felt like forever since they had been alone together, this could be a good chance, even if it’s Mementos. Not the most romantic but they took what they were given.

Thankfully, Joker nodded in defeat, turning on his heels and looking back to Skull with a hidden smile, “Fine, then we can go back up. You guys rest good.” There was a joined murmur of ‘yes’ in different way being said, a be careful being thrown in from Queen. Within moments, the two had gone into the darkness, holding hands as soon as they were out of sight, desperate for another touch of each other.

“Guess it’s a creative date, at least.” The taller mused, eyes darting around in watch for Shadows, despite his instinct to look at his boyfriend, cheesy as it was. Ryuji- Skull just made him feel that way. No, both of them made him feel that way, because even though they both acted pretty different, much like himself, they were both a stupid, silly, lovable teddy bear of a delinquent. 

Skull laughed and shoved him a bit with his shoulder, shoving up his mask for the time being. No Shadows were around, and Joker couldn’t sense any with his ‘Third Eye’ thing, “I’ll take it, it hasn’t been like this in forever.” After his playful teasing, he rested his head on Joker’s shoulder, which was a bit awkward with their moving.

“Hopefully this girl doesn’t ruin it. A pretty stereotypical case for an actress, but that makes her no less of a target.” Joker shook his head, recalling what Misima had told him about this one. She was an American transfer student, who spent almost all of her time in the performing arts programs, spreading rumors and lies to anyone who would get in her way. Since she was so good at her art, people would believe it the act she put up everyday, until she eventually got a Shadow. 

“Gotta say, even she had me fooled. I totally thought that Koki kid had done something to her, he seemed like the kind of kid to hit on girls a bit too much.” The girl was talented, the blonde would give her that. It wasn’t going to stop her from having a change of heart, though.

With one last turn, the wall ahead of them sunk in with red and black waves, almost hypnotic. Sure enough, their last target was here, just and Mona had said. With one last silent look, the boys ran toward the distortion and leapt inside, going through what felt like heavy water before landing on the other side.

The back of a dirty blonde girl was what greeted them, though turned to show yellow eyes where blue ones would be, blinking at them curiously. She smiled sweetly, as if completely innocent, “Oh, you’re the Phantom Thieves, aren’t you? So nice to meet you!” Her distorted voice cooed, bowing respectfully to the two.

“Yeah right, cut the act! You should know why we’re here if you know us.” Skull scoffed, hand getting ready on his heavy pipe.

“To steal my heart? But I’m innocent!” Her face of horror looked almost real, clearly practiced many times, “Didn’t you hear? Koki is a pervert and assaulted me! You should change his heart instead!” 

“You only say that because he got the lead in the play you wanted to show in.” Joker countered, clearly striking a quick nerve in the Shadow.

It looked like she was going to drop her mask for a moment, eyes darkening in anger, but she kept her pitiful face, “Why would I do that? Actors are supposed to support each other, it’s not my fault he got a bit ‘too supportive’!”

Taking his pipe off his belt, Skull dropped into a fighting stance, brown eyes like daggers at his peer, “Just shut up and face us! I’ve had enough of this innocent act!” 

At the cue, the blonde girl’s face dropped in anger and disgust, weak posture going tall and snotty, “Ugh, fine. Brute. You seem like a better target anyway, everyone would totally believe me if you ended up finding me for revenge for snitching on Koki.” The Shadow looked and her nails in utter disinterest, as if she didn’t even think he was worth that. Then, she grinned at the two, falling into a puddle of black and red liquid, reforming as Silky, “You two need a lesson in keeping your damn mouths shut.” She spat, face still in a disgusted grimace. 

Before she could make her move, Joker had summoned a Persona, using an Agilao that sent her up in flames with a loud cry. She was on the ground already, and Skull used the chance to call Captain Kidd and tear it with a Giant Slice. 

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to take her down, as the Shadow rose back up with a large scowl. Raising a hand, a circle of dark purple and pink swirled around the blonde, heading straight toward his head. He felt a shiver run up his spine, then in his neck, and reaching toward his brain. His body went stiff as whispers of releasing control skittered in his mind, quiet, but sounding like a speaker in it’s multitude. 

Joker felt his heart drop when his boyfriend sagged down in defeat, eyes small and wild. The Silky giggled ahead of them, stepping back and guarding for the moment. He didn’t have anything on him to help with Brainwashing, and nothing to knock it out of him with unless running the risk of truly hurting im. “Ryuji, don’t listen to it. Snap out of it.” His calm voice threatened to shake, the crazy eyes piercing his confidence.

With a low growl, Skull gripped his pipe tight in his hands and charged toward the taller, who wasn’t able to sidestep like he tried, being hit hard in his turned back by the solid metal. He coughed as the air was knocked out of his body, but managed to stay on his feet for the time being. 

None of his Persona’s could heal a Brainwash, he could only wait this out for the time being. Taking the moment of time Skull took to scrape at the voices in his head, Joker launched another fireball at the Shadow, but missed in his panicked state. The Sylki didn’t even attack, much like how she would in real life. Mess someone up, and let them do the rest. 

Again, Joker cried out as the pipe landed a blow on his stomach, something crackling in his chest from the force. He fell in the blunt pain, gripping his shirt where the pain was stabbing him. This was supposed to be an easy mission! Heaving as he looked up hazily at his attacker, his boyfriend, his love, he forced out, “Ryuji… Pl-please, it’s me, stop-p…” 

Another slam in the stomach was his answer, forcing blood out of his throat and likely things inside to rupture and bleed internally. The only thing he held onto was the hope that this would snap away the next moment, that Ryuji would realize what he had done and destroy the Shadow for even trying to make him hurt his boyfriend. What were those tears slowly falling down his face for if not that?

With his facade gone, Akira laid pitifully on his back, hand trembling as it reached out to the blonde, wiping away a small tear. For a moment, it looked like he was going to stop. There was a small tilt of his head into the red glove, such a soft, shaky movement into the warm and loving touch. Oh, how much he wanted to lean up and kiss him, make it all slip away, defeat the Shadow together. But his chest ached from bones being snapped and bruised, hardly able to support his rising and falling breaths. 

“This isn’t yo-your fault…” Akira sputtered, choking on his own blood and coughs for air. The blonde just stared at him with those small, beady eyes, the beautiful brown in them shrunken away to just a rim around his pupils. Still, the taller smiled weakly, using all his strength to hold on for him, “So.. don’t blame yourself,” He was interrupted with more coughs, spilling the thick red liquid onto his chin and chest in small streams down the corner of his mouth, “Ok-k-kay…?”

Ryuji slowly withdrew, looking down on his leader with tears rolling down his face, watching what he done as the boy struggled for life. He watched his chest heave rapid and shallow breaths, face starting to look a mix of pale as snow and red as his gloves. The gloves that had just been holding his face, but had now fallen limply to his side. He watched that smile, warm grey eyes, scrunched in pain, tears flowing in waterfalls of sorrow. 

So, he ended it. He ended it. He ended the pain. He ended his leaders pain. He ended his boyfriends pain. He ended his loving thoughts with a blow to the skull. He ended it.

**Author's Note:**

> So you know how I haven't said shit about my next pegoryu fic? This is why. I hope you enjoyed, or at least got really mad at me cause of heartbreaking angst. This was inspired by kibu-me's post on tumblr, you might have to go digging through the tag like I did to find it. 
> 
> Remember kids, always have a paper fan on you to slap your friends with when they get violently brainwashed and try to kill you!


End file.
